martes, 29 de diciembre de 2015

5. Shigella from
Mariscos San Juan, 194 sickened.
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department reported on Nov. 9 that 194
people were sickened with Shigella. Nearly all of the cases reported that they
ate at Mariscos San Juan restaurant on Oct. 16 or 17. [News Report]4. Salmonella
Typhimurium from Tarheel Q, 1 death and 280 sickened. Those who fell ill after eating at the Lexington, NC barbeque restaurant
came from 16 North Carolina counties and five states. Laboratory testing
indicated that the BBQ sample and a sample from a patient who became ill during
the beginning of the outbreak were both positive for Salmonella. [News report]

3. Salmonella
from the Boise Co-op, 290 sickened. Approximately
290 people were sickened with Salmonella
linked to food purchased from the Boise Co-op deli after June 1, 2015.
Preliminary test results showed Salmonella growth in raw turkey, tomatoes and
onion. [News
report]

2. Cyclospora
from Mexcan-grown cilantro, 546 sickened.For
the third year in a row, Cyclospora-contaminated
cilantro grown in Mexico caused a massive outbreak. This year, there were 31
states affected but Texans bore the most with 179 illnesses. The bulk of the
illnesses hit at the end of May and throughout June.[CDC outbreak information]

1. Salmonella
Poona from Cucumbers, 4 deaths and 838 sickened. This enormous outbreak hospitalized 165 people and four deaths were
reported in Arizona, California, Oklahoma and Texas. The outbreak hit
California the hardest where 232 people were sickened, but 38 states were affected
in total. Investigators identified cucumbers imported from Mexico and
distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce as a likely source of the
infections and there were two recalls of potentially contaminated cucumbers.
The number of reported illnesses has declined substantially since the peak of
illnesses in August and September, but it hasn’t returned to the number of
reported illnesses expected each month (about five). [CDC outbreak information]

t is also interesting to mention the Listeria outbreak connected with Blue
Bell Creameries. There were three deaths and 10 illnesses connected to the ice
cream and reported as early as 2010. On April 20, 2015, Blue Bell recalled all
of its products and began distributing its ice cream again at the end of
August. Although the outbreak was fairly small and only one connected illness
was reported in 2015, we thought it important to note on this list because of
the unusual food product and the national coverage it sparked this year.

martes, 22 de diciembre de 2015

The FDA,CDC, and state and local officials began
investigating an outbreak of a different Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia
coli O26 (STEC O26) linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill
restaurants during December 2015. This outbreak has a rare DNA fingerprint,
which is different from the larger, previously reported outbreak.

During the firs outbreak Chipotle Mexican Grill closed 43 restaurants in Washington and Oregon in
early November 2015 in response to the initial outbreak. All these restaurants
reopened in November 2015. Chipotle Mexican Grill worked in close consultation
and collaboration with health officials throughout the investigation to
determine whether it was appropriate to reopen these restaurants. Chipotle reports taking the following actions, among others,
prior to opening:

Interviews were conducted with five ill
people, who all reported eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. Whole
genome sequencing is being used to see this strain is genetically related to
the STEC O26 that caused the larger outbreak. This investigation is ongoing.

The FDA continues to work with Chipotle
Mexican Grill restaurants as well as federal, state and local agencies to
gather information about the supply chain(s). The FDA will continue to provide
updates on the investigation as they become available

The FDA and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with state and local officials are
investigating two separate outbreaks of E. coli O26 infections
that have been linked to food served at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants in
several states.

Earlier in December 4, 2015, the CDC reports a total of 52 people infected with the
outbreak strain of STEC O26 from a total of nine states: California (3),
Illinois (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (2), New York (1), Ohio (3), Oregon (13),
Pennsylvania (1), and Washington (27).

There have been 20 reported hospitalizations. There have been no reports
of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and no deaths. Of the three most recent
illnesses reported in November, only one ill person, whose illness started on
November 10, reported eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill in the week before their
illness began. The majority of these cases were reported from Oregon and
Washington during October 2015.

To date, whole genome sequencing has been performed on STEC O26 isolates
from 21 ill people from California (2), Minnesota (2), New York (1), and
Washington (16). All 21 isolates were highly related genetically to one
another. On the contrary all microbial testing performed by the company did not
yield E. coli (more than 2,500 tests of Chipotle's food,
restaurant surfaces, and equipment all showed no E. coli).

martes, 15 de diciembre de 2015

Potential hazards may include any biological, chemical or physical
hazards related to the food which are reasonably likely to cause illness or
injury

The FSVP
rule first looks to the importer. An importer is the U.S. owner or consignee of
a food offered for import into the U.S. If the importer is a food manufacturer
otherwise subject to the preventive controls rules, no FSVP program is
necessary because the hazard is identified and managed under their preventive
controls processes. If the importer is not a U.S. manufacturer subject to the
preventive controls rules and does not meet one of the other enumerated
exceptions, the importer must create and implement an FSVP.An FSVP requires the
importer to vouch for the foreign supplier of an article of food. The foreign
supplier is generally the foreign entity that manufacturers and processes the
food being exported to the United States. If a foreign food passes through an
intermediary packer, holder or re-labeler, the original manufacturer is still
deemed to be the foreign supplier.

An importer’s FSVP must be a written plan which provides for three separate
processes: 1) an evaluation of the potential hazards of the imported food; 2)
an evaluation of the performance of the particular foreign supplier; and 3) a
plan for the performance of periodic and appropriate supplier verification
activities.

Potential
hazards may include any biological, chemical or physical hazards related to the
food which are reasonably likely to cause illness or injury. If potential
hazards are identified, the foreign supplier’s performance in controlling
hazards must be evaluated.

Once a
foreign supplier is initially evaluated and approved, the supplier’s
performance must be verified on a regular basis. If the potential hazard could
cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the minimum standard is
that a verification audit must be conducted at least annually.

If an
importer utilizes several foreign suppliers, a separate FSVP must be developed
for each. If an importer obtains more than one food product from any foreign
supplier, an FSVP analysis must be performed for each food product, although
there may be some overlap making the process easier. The type and method of
foreign supplier verification processes is flexible and may include on-site audits,
sampling and testing, and/or reviews of the suppliers’ relevant food safety
records.

The three
processes referred to above in an FSVP may be conducted by the importer itself
or the importer may rely upon other specified types of entities so long as the
importer itself reviews and assesses the verification records, including the
results of supplier verification activities.

viernes, 4 de diciembre de 2015

One in 10 sickened annually
around the world each year

About one in every 10 people around the world are
affected by foodborne disease each year. Of those 600 million people, 420,000
die as a result.

These numbers are the first global estimates —
conservative ones — of foodborne illnesses and were calculated by the
World Health Organization (WHO). The comprehensive report, published Thursday, Dec. 3, incorporated 31 foodborne hazards,
including bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins and chemicals.

Diarrheal diseases were responsible for most of the
global burden, causing 550 million illnesses and 230,000 deaths, WHO reported. In
addition, children younger than 5 years old carried 40 percent of the foodborne
disease burden, despite representing only 9 percent of the global population.

jueves, 3 de diciembre de 2015

Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants at several
states is a likely source of this outbreak.

CDC
is only reporting ill people that have been confirmed by PulseNet as being infected
with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26
(STEC O26). Forty-five people infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26
have been reported from 6 states. The majority of illnesses have been reported
from Washington and Oregon. The number of ill people reported from each state
is as follows: California (2), Minnesota (2), New York (1), Ohio (1), Oregon
(13), and Washington (26).

Among
people for whom information is available, illnesses started on dates ranging
from October 19, 2015 to November 8, 2015. Ill people range in age from 2 years
to 94, with a median age of 22. Fifty-eight percent of ill people are female.
Sixteen (36%) people reported being hospitalized. There have been no reports of
hemolytic uremic syndrome and no deaths.

CDC
and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory
surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to
interview them.

Investigation Update: CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and public health
officials in several states are investigating an outbreak of Shiga
toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26 (STEC O26) infections.

The
epidemiologic evidence available to investigators at this time suggests that a
meal item or ingredient served at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants at several
states is a likely source of this outbreak. The investigation has not identified
what specific food is linked to illness. Chipotle Mexican Grill is assisting
public health officials with understanding the distribution of food items
served at locations where ill people ate and this work is ongoing.

State
and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to obtain
information about foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week
before their illness started. Forty-three (96%) of 45 people interviewed
reported eating at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant. The investigation is
ongoing to identify common meal items or ingredients causing illness.

Investigators
are also using whole genome sequencing, an advanced laboratory technique, to get more information
about the DNA fingerprint of the STEC O26 bacteria causing illness. To date,
whole genome sequencing has been performed on STEC O26 isolates from 9 ill
people in Washington and 1 ill person in Minnesota. All 10 isolates were highly
related genetically to one another. This provides additional evidence that
illnesses outside the Pacific Northwest are related to the illnesses in Oregon
and Washington.

miércoles, 2 de diciembre de 2015

Salmon for
human consumption would not have a significant impact on the environment.

The FDA scientists
rigorously evaluated extensive data submitted by the manufacturer, AquaBounty
Technologies, and other peer-reviewed data, to assess whether AquAdvantage
salmon met the criteria for approval established by law; namely, safety and
effectiveness. The data demonstrated that the inserted genes remained stable
over several generations of fish, that food from the GE salmon is safe to eat
by humans and animals that the genetic engineering is safe for the fish, and
the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth.

In addition, FDA assessed
the environmental impacts of approving this application and found that the
approval would not have a significant impact on the environment of the United
States. That is because the multiple containment measures the company will use
in the land-based facilities in Panama and Canada make it extremely unlikely
that the fish could escape and establish themselves in the wild.

The agency
had made a preliminary finding in December 2012 that approving the AquAdvantage
Salmon for human consumption would not have a significant impact on the
environment if, as the company plans, it is raised in tanks away from the ocean
to limit the impact on wild salmon stocks.
FDA has specified that the GE salmon only be raised in two places, one on
Vancouver Island, Canada, and the other in Panama, where Aqua Bounty was fined
by the government last year for reportedly not having the proper permits and
for repeatedly violating regulations.
Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D., a specialist in animal genomics and biotechnology
at the University of California, Davis, participated in FDA’s scientific
review.
“Basically, nothing in the data suggested that these fish were in any way
unsafe or different to the farm-raised salmon,” she said.
AquaBounty’s GE salmon contains a growth gene from the Chinook salmon, which
the company says could allow its product to grow to market size in half the
time of a conventional Atlantic salmon. Because it involves a recombinant DNA
(rDNA) construct introduced into the animal, the GE salmon meets FDA’s
definition of a drug.
The company stated Thursday that the FDA approval could mean an “economically
viable domestic aquaculture industry while providing consumers a fresh and
delicious product,” adding that more than 90 percent of the seafood, and more
than 95 percent of the Atlantic salmon, consumed in the U.S. today is imported.

viernes, 6 de noviembre de 2015

The Food Safety Modernization Act is requiring a
major overhaul in most sectors of the food industry.

The
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) aims to prevent food-contamination events
before they occur, rather than reacting to them. Part of this change has been
the requirement of a Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC)
plan for frozen-food manufacturers.

Frozen-food
manufacturers must establish and maintain a qualifying HARPC plan which
identifies food-safety and adulteration risks specific to their food products
and facility. Procedures must be established to minimize those risks, verify
that controls of those risks are actually working, and provide for corrective
actions if deviations occur. Maintenance on the plan is required to review and
verify procedures with appropriate documentation, updating it as needed.

However,
some food-industry sectors do not have to adhere to HARPC requirements,
including:

In
other words, if you are a medium- or large-sized frozen-food processor that
isn’t solely focused on meat, you are required to follow HARPC regulations.
Failure to do so can result in public warning and disclosure by the FDA. It may
also result in criminal charges for the company and owner.

Some
frozen-food manufacturers and processors have already shifted focus to comply
with HAACP recommendations. Though that won’t be sufficient for most, it is a
step in the right direction and HARPC conversion may not be as
challenging. Requirements are more-stringent, but the foundation is similar.
The FDA has stated that educational programs will be made
available, particularly to smaller organizations in need of HARPC plans.

lunes, 2 de noviembre de 2015

The origin is cilantro from the state of
Puebla, Mexico supplied to various restaurants.

Clusters of illness were identified in Texas, Wisconsin,
and Georgia. Most (319, 58 percent of 546) ill people experienced onset of
illness on or after May 1, 2015, and did not report international travel within
two weeks before illness onset. These 319 people were from the following
states: Arkansas (3), California (2), Connecticut (5), Florida (13), Georgia
(26), Illinois (9), Iowa (1), Kansas (2), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (12),
Michigan (2), Missouri (1), Montana (3), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (7), New
Mexico (2), New York (32), North Carolina (1), Texas (179), Utah (1), Virginia
(3), Washington (2), Wisconsin (11).

Clusters
of illnesses were identified in Texas, Wisconsin, and Georgia. The FDA;
the Texas Rapid Response Team; Texas Department of State Health Services; the
Wisconsin Department of Health Services; the Wisconsin Department of
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; the Georgia Rapid Response Team;
and the Georgia Department of Public Health have collaborated on traceback
investigations related to these illness clusters. These investigations
found that cilantro from the state of Puebla, Mexico was supplied to
restaurants at which people identified in the illness clusters ate, indicating
that some illnesses in these states were linked to fresh cilantro from Puebla,
Mexico. As of September 16, 2015, the CDC reported that case numbers have
returned to baseline levels.

The CDC and
state public health officials have identified annually recurring outbreaks (in
2013 and 2014) of cyclosporiasis in the United States which have been associated
with fresh cilantro from the state of Puebla, Mexico. Although not confirmed by
epidemiological means, the FDA reviewed a cluster of Cyclosporiasis illnesses
from 2012 in which the state of Texas had previously identified cilantro as one
of multiple possible suspect vehicles. The FDA determined that cilantro from
the state of Puebla, Mexico, was supplied to the point of service implicated in
that outbreak and was already found as the potential source of the 2012
outbreak.

miércoles, 21 de octubre de 2015

Mariscos
San Juan at 205 N. 4th St. in downtown San Jose, CA, was closed Oct. 18 after
the Santa Clara County Public Health Department connected the seafood
restaurant with an outbreak of Shigella that reportedly may have
sickened at least 80 people.

The
restaurant remains closed, and Santa Clara health officials say 11 of the Shigella
victims have been treated in intensive care units at area hospitals.

All
of those stricken with the intestinal infection that causes fever, abdominal
pain and diarrhea report dining at the San Jose restaurant on either the
previous Friday or Saturday.

Shigella is an enteropathogen
not frequently found in foods that affects humans. The clinical disease is a
dysentery diarrhea that can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Local
health officials said that they expect the number of those sickened will grow,
and they issued a request for action by all clinicians in the area.

The disease is the result of bacteria
that passes from improperly washed hands of one person to the mouth of another
person, often through handling contaminated objects or food. The disease is easily
passed among childcare professionals and food preparers.

Clinicians
treating suspected Shigella patients are being asked to test stool
cultures and order antimicrobial susceptibility testing and blood cultures if
the person became hospitalized. Doctors were also asked to “tailor therapy
based on results of susceptibility testing, recognizing that routine
antimicrobial susceptibility tests for Shigella may not include some
commonly available oral antibiotics.”

Area
emergency rooms were reporting they were treating multiple patients with
vomiting and fevers as high as 104ºF.

The
downtown Mariscos San Juan is one of the restaurant chain’s three locations in
San Jose. The Willow Street restaurant had its permit suspended in August. The third
location on Senter Road in San Jose remains open. Santa
Clara County has suspended the permits of 81 restaurants during the past six
months for a variety of code violations.